Lafayette Students Present their Scholarly Work at National Conference on Undergraduate Research

Twenty-three Lafayette students earned the distinction of being invited to make presentations on their scholarly research at the 17th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) March 13-15.

The students’ research topics ranged over the academic landscape from the humanist to the technical.

The EXCEL Scholars program and departmental honors program are among several opportunities for Lafayette students to do research jointly with a faculty member or on their own, with faculty guidance.

This year’s presenters brought to more than 400 the number of Lafayette students who have participated in NCUR, the only national conference dedicated to showcasing research by college undergraduates. More than 400 colleges and universities sent students to this year’s conference hosted by the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Here is a listing of the students, including their class year, major, hometown, research topic, and faculty research adviser.

Topics in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Douglas Burke ’04 (government and law), Cape May, N.J.
“Sports and Politics in Russia”
Katalin Fabian, assistant professor of government and law
(See related story.)

Megan Caufield ’03 (Marquis Scholar) (government & law and history), Massena, N.Y.
“Pro-Feminist Men and their Use of Legalistic Language in the Early Women’s Rights Movement”
Deborah A. Rosen, associate professor of history
(See related story.)

Jonathan Cohn ’04 (government and law), Binghamton, N.Y.
“The Complexity of Reaching a Market Economy in Hungary and Poland”
Katalin Fabian
(See related story.)

Christiane Conn ’03 (government and law), Buxton, Maine
“Federalism: A Viable Form of Government for New Democracies and Developing Countries?” John Kincaid, Robert B. and Helen S. Meyner Professor of Government and Public Service and director of the Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government
(See related story.)

Lauren Frese ’03 (Marquis Scholar) (International Affairs), Morris Plains, N.J.
“The History of Environmentalism and Precedent Set by the Kyoto Protocol”
John McCartney, associate professor and chair of government and law
(See related story.)

Virginia R. Germano ’03 (philosophy and government & law), Dunmore, Pa.
[Coauthors: Katherine E. Fina ’03 (government and law), Morrisville, Pa.; James R. Haroldson ’03 (government and law), Kinnelon, N.J.; Daniel LaTerra ’04 (government and law), Montvale, N.J.; Ilana Strauss ’04 (psychology), Forest Hills, N.Y.]
“Access-Seeking Contributors: Experimental Research Examining the Gender Gap and the Role of Resources”
Alexandra L. Cooper, assistant professor of government and law
(See related story.)

Prashant Poddar ’04 (B.S. electrical and computer engineering; A.B. economics and business), Ranchi, India
“Robust Cooperation in Imitation Dynamics”
Christopher S. Ruebeck, assistant professor of economics and business
(See related story.)

Elizabeth L. Ponder ’04 (Marquis Scholar) (biochemistry), Collegeville, Pa.
“The Red Ribbon: Rise and Fall of a Modern Symbol”
Andrea Smith, assistant professor of anthropology and sociology
(See related story.)

Raisa Sheynberg ’04 (International Affairs), Pennington, N.J.
[Coauthor: Gregory Dahling ’04 (economics & business and German), Shamong, N.J.]
“Schnitzler and Kubrick: Human Reaction To Sexual Oppression In Traumnovelle And Eyes Wide Shut”
Edward R. McDonald, professor of foreign languages and literatures)

Sarah Stanlick ’04 (Trustee Scholarship recipient) (International Affairs), Wharton, N.J.
“A Chernobyl on Our Border: The Importance of Multinational Nuclear Policy and the European Union”
Katalin Fabian

Crystal Taylor ’03 (mathematics), Hyattsville, Md.
“Pareto-Efficient Exchange and Urban Development”
Howard N. Bodenhorn, associate professor of economics and business)
(See related story.)

Meredith A. Terlecki ’03 (B.S. behavioral neuroscience, A.B. French), Littleton, Colo.
“What is Essentially Human: A Literary and Scientific Dissection of Theories Governing the Body and Mind”
Olga Anna Duhl, associate professor of foreign languages and literatures
(See related story.)

Keli Whitnell ’03 (English), Newark, Mo.
“Cow-Tipping: Fact or ‘Udder’ Nonsense?”
Andrea Smith, assistant professor of anthropology and sociology)

Topics in the Natural Sciences and Engineering

Maureen Auro ’03 (biology), Garden City, N.Y.
“Does Colonization Time Influence Macroinvertebrate Community Measures on Artificial Substrates?”
Nancy M. Waters, associate professor of biology

Carlos Chai ’03 (electrical and computer engineering), Montego Bay, Jamaica
“Mode Coupling in Bent Dual-Mode Fiber”
Kimberly D. Bennett, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

Ting Fong Chui ’03 (civil engineering), Kwai Chung, Hong Kong
“Laboratory Investigation of Multi-Step Alcohol Flushing Strategy for Dense Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (Dnapls) Removals From Aquifers”
David Brandes, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering

Catriona Mhairi Duncanson ’03 (Marquis Scholar) (A.B. Engineering), Basking Ridge, N.J. “Impacts of the World Bank’s Privatization Policy for South Africa’s Water Supply”
Sharon A. Jones, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering

Matthew Loh ’04 (electrical and computer engineering), Toyko, Japan
“Modelling and Simulation of a Mock Circulatory System”
Yih-Choung Yu, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering
(See related story.)

Suzanne Montgomery ’03 (psychology and English), Thornton, Pa.
“College Teaching Styles and Student Ratings: Effects of Gender and Divisional Affiliation”
Susan A. Basow, Charles A. Dana Professor of Psychology

Benjamin Partlow ’03 (B.S. mechanical engineering, A.B. psychology), Ludlow, Vt.
“An Alternative Method for Presentation Of Galling Data”
Scott R. Hummel, assistant professor of mechanical engineering)
(See related story.)

Janille A. Smith ’03 (A.B. engineering), Kingston, Jamaica
“The Policy Implications of the Jamaica Toll Roads Act (2002)”
Sharon A. Jones, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
(See related story.)

Stacey Wagner ’03 (Trustee Scholarship recipient) (biochemistry), Shavertown, Pa.
“Refolding Kinetics of Phycocyanin A and B Subunits”
Yvonne Gindt, assistant professor of chemistry
(See related story.)

Christine Williams ’03 (Marquis Scholar) (biology), Erie, Pa.
“Mercury-Resistant Bacteria and Macrophyte Associations: Molecular and Environmental Mechanisms of Toxicity Resistance”
Laurie F. Caslake, assistant professor of biology
(See related story.)

A National Leader in Undergraduate Research. Megan Caufield ’03 made a presentation on honors research she did under the guidance of Deborah Rosen, associate professor of history, at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.